Trails
Park Maps and Brochures:
** GPS USERS - PLEASE READ **
GPS DIRECTIONS - Are not reliable in this area. Use CAUTION.
Park staff recommend using the following directions.
Gorges State Park is located in Sapphire, NC in Transylvania County. The park is approximately 45 miles southwest of Asheville. Follow Hwy 64west out of Brevard until you reach Sapphire, turn left on Hwy 281south, the park entrance is .7 miles on your left. The Visitor Center is located .5 miles inside the park on Grassy Ridge Road.
From Asheville, reach the park from I-26, taking exit 40 onto NC 280 and traveling west toward Brevard. Turn west on US 64 and travel toward Sapphire. To reach the Frozen Creek Access (east side of the park), turn left onto Frozen Creek Road, which is approximately two miles past NC 178. The east entrance is three miles on the right. To reach the Grassy Ridge Access (west side of the park), turn south on NC 281 in Sapphire; the western park entrance is .7 miles on the left.
From Atlanta, GA, reach the park from I-85, taking South Carolina exit 1 onto SC 11 and traveling north toward Walhalla, SC. Turn north on SC 130, which becomes NC 281 at the North Carolina state line. Continue north on NC 281. The Grassy Ridge Access (west side of the park) is approximately seven miles north of the state line on the right. To reach the Frozen Creek Access (east side of the park), turn east on NC 64 in Sapphire. Travel toward Brevard approximately eight miles and turn right on Frozen Creek Road. The east entrance is three miles on the right.
From Charlotte, reach the park by traveling west on NC 74 to I-26. Turn west on I-26, traveling toward Hendersonville. Take exit 49B to NC 64 and travel west through Brevard toward Sapphire. To reach the Frozen Creek Access (east side of the park), turn left onto Frozen Creek Road, which is approximately two miles past NC 178. The east entrance is three miles on the right. To reach the Grassy Ridge Access (west side of the park), turn south on NC 281 in Sapphire; the western park entrance is .7 miles on the left.
From Greenville, SC, reach the park by traveling on US 276 north to SC 11. Take SC 11 south toward Walhalla, SC, and turn north on SC 130, which becomes NC 281 at the North Carolina state line. Continue north on NC 281. The Grassy Ridge Access (west side of the park) is approximately seven miles north of the state line on the right. To reach the Frozen Creek Access (east side of the park), turn east on NC 64 in Sapphire. Travel toward Brevard approximately eight miles and turn right on Frozen Creek Road. The east entrance is three miles on the right.
Posted on: Thursday, April 13, 2017 - 5:02pm Park Trail Conditions
Gorges State Park has suffered significant wind damage from recent storm Irma; please use extreme caution as trees and debris are on all trails in the park. Trail clean up will be in process over the next few weeks.
Trails
Offering rugged terrain that will challenge any outdoors enthusiast, visitors who traverse the steep, backwoods trails of Gorges State Park will be rewarded with views of dazzling waterfalls or perhaps an encounter with one of the numerous rare species of the park. However, some of the more secluded areas of the park are not recommended for casual hiking.
One of the park’s most popular pathways is the Foothills Trail. Established by Duke Energy, the trail winds along the southern portion of the state park and wraps around Lake Jocassee, where primitive campsites are available. The trailhead is located at the Frozen Creek access area in Rosman on Frozen Creek Road. This area provides parking, picnic areas and trailheads.
Auger Hole Trail
Location: Use the Frozen Creek Access on Frozen Creek Road, in Rosman. This access provides a picnic area and trail head for equestrian, mountain biking, and hiking trails.
Description: The Auger Hole Trail cuts directly through the heart of the Park. Horses and mountain bikes are permitted on the Auger Hole Trail from the Frozen Creek Access to Turkey Pen Gap on the western boundary of Gorges State Park. Horses and mountain bikes are not permitted beyond Turkey Pen Gap. This trail also serves as a connector from Frozen Creek Access to the Foothills Trail. There are two low water crossings that must be waded across along the trail, one at the Toxaway River and one at Bearwallow Creek. Under normal conditions the water level is about knee deep. However, water levels can rise unexpectedly with high rainfall making these crossings impassable. Downed trees and landslides are another hazard hikers should be aware of. The terrain is steep with thick vegetation on either side of the trail and venturing off-trail in search of waterfalls is not recommended.
Point of Interest: The beautifully rugged interior of the park.
Length:
14.50 miles
Round Trip
14.50 miles
Round Trip
Difficulty:
Strenuous
Strenuous
Blaze:
Orange Square
Orange Square
Bearwallow Falls Trail
Location: Use the Grassy Ridge Access entrance off of Hwy 281 South, in Sapphire. This trail is accessible from the Bearwallow and White Pines Picnic areas, and via the Visitor Center Connector trail.
Description: This is a short, but strenuous trail to the Upper Bearwallow Falls observation deck.
Point of Interest: Upper Bearwallow Falls
Length:
1.00 miles
Round Trip
1.00 miles
Round Trip
Difficulty:
Strenuous
Strenuous
Blaze:
Blue Triangle
Blue Triangle
Bearwallow Valley Trail
Location: Use the Grassy Ridge Access entrance off of Hwy 281 South, in Sapphire. This trail is accessible from the Bearwallow and White Pines Picnic areas, and via the Visitor Center Connector trail.
Description: This is a short but moderate trail to the Bearwallow Valley observation deck. Depending on the weather, great views of the park and Lake Jocassee are possible.
Point of Interest: Bearwallow Valley Observation Deck
Length:
1.00 miles
Round Trip
1.00 miles
Round Trip
Difficulty:
Moderate
Moderate
Blaze:
Red Triangle
Red Triangle
Canebrake Trail
Location: The trail head is located at the Frozen Creek Access in Rosman, NC on Frozen Creek Road.
Description: This trail follows the eastern boundary of the park from Frozen Creek Access to the Foothills Trail. It provides access to the non reservable primitive backpack sites along the Foothills Trail along the northern tip of Lake Jocassee at the Mouth of the Toxaway River.
Point of Interest: Primitive campsites and the long suspension bridge on Lake Jocassee.
Length:
10.40 miles
Round Trip
10.40 miles
Round Trip
Difficulty:
Strenuous
Strenuous
Blaze:
Yellow Square
Yellow Square
Foothills Trail
Location: The trailhead is located at the Frozen Creek access area in Rosman on Frozen Creek Road.
Description: The Foothills Trail is a 76-mile (122 km) National Recreation Trail trail in South and North Carolina, United States, for recreational hiking and backpacking. It extends from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park. It passes through the Andrew Pickens Ranger District of the Sumter National Forest, Ellicott Rock Wilderness, Whitewater Falls, and Lake Jocassee. The part of the trail in Gorges State Park travels through the southern back country before it wraps around Lake Jocassee and crosses a long suspension bridge to where primitive campsites are available.
Point of Interest:
Length:
6.70 miles
Round Trip
6.70 miles
Round Trip
Difficulty:
Strenuous
Strenuous
Blaze:
White Slash
White Slash
Contact:
Gorges State Park
976 Grassy Ridge Road
Sapphire, NC 28774Phone(828) 966-9099
gorges@ncparks.gov, Caution: GPS directions in this area of the state are not reliable.
Latitude: 35.096000
Longitude: -82.951000
Park Hours:
General Park Hours
7am to Midnight
Picnic Areas
8am to Dusk
Visitor Center
Monday - Friday
9am to 4:00pm
Saturday - Sunday
9am to 5pm
Business Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8am to 4:30pm
Saturday - Sunday
Closed